And the gallop, ho!
Fort Laramie.
Starring Raymond Burr as Captain Lee Quince.
Specially transcribed tales of the dark and tragic ground of the wild frontier.
The saga of fighting men who risked their lives to protect the land.
The story of the
The saga of fighting men who rode the rim of empire.
And the dramatic story of Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry.
The story of the
Knight of Jaime and the
Up for Reveille he was, and off and ridin'.
Habit, maybe.
It was a clean morning, had a feel to it.
Ridin' off alone, I'd like that myself.
Whew!
Hooey!
Ah!
There's a touch of spring in there, all right.
Buffalo grass as green as can be.
I was down to Corral this morning,
and even at low water the old army was ripplin' along
like it had a song in it.
Harrison.
Yes, Sergeant?
You think you could manage to blanket that mount
before you write your next poem?
Hmm?
I guess I'm holdin' you up.
Captain says he threw a nail.
I told him I'd see the ferry, you gotta look at it.
Right forefoot, looks like.
I meant to see to it.
I got business at the saddlery, anyway.
Sergeant, I'd sure admire some outdoor duty today
if you could arrange it.
Stable detail, sort of outdoors, Harrison.
In and out.
I was thinkin' more like the hay yard,
or lendin' a hand in the post garden, or like that.
I'd be obliged.
Anything outdoors?
Anything at all, Sergeant.
You see up there on the bluff by the old cemetery?
I'm lookin' that away.
That white patch, top of the rise?
Oh, sure, I see that.
Well, now, that's a patch of wild daisies, Harrison.
Anybody asks, you tell them you got my leave
to go up there and pick them.
Aw, Sergeant!
It's outdoor work.
I don't aim to get myself left right off this post.
It'd be a useful service you was performin', Harrison.
Officers are havin' a fancy ball tonight at old Bedlam.
Well, they might give a stripe or two
to the trooper who saw to their decorations.
I tell you, Sergeant, I like this stable detail just fine.
More I think of it, more I like it.
Glad to oblige.
Any time, Harrison.
You're not gettin' me three stripes some day
like it's not Al Mosey all over the post, too,
on a fine spring day.
I could make them daisies in order, Harrison.
Why, lookin' down there, Sergeant Gorse,
ain't that a stage comin' over the bridge?
It is.
He's ridin' on a flat wheel.
Yeah, maybe that's why he's pullin' into the fort
this time of day.
Being the wheelwright so near the smithy and the saddlery,
I'll just mosey on down there and see what's goin' on.
Give me that lead rope, soldier.
Oh, here.
Get to your duty, Daisy.
Oh!
Yes, Sergeant.
What do you mean we'll have to put up here for the night?
This is an army post.
Now, Ophie, settle yourself this minute.
There's nothin' but men here.
Now, ma'am, there ain't a stage built that'll run on three wheels.
But an army post?
Why, we're women.
Well, be that as it may, we gotta put up here.
It took all I had and then some to bring us clean to the fort.
Now, the wheelwright tells me he can put us on the trail by sunup,
and that's the level best we can do.
I declare. I don't know what.
Homer off there in Virginia City, waitin' for Ophie and me?
Well, you could maybe telegraph ahead
if you think your husband will worry after you.
Well, I don't know what to make of you. Of course he'll worry.
Homer's bound to worry. His wife and baby girl
spendin' the night in the middle of nowhere at an army post.
Oh, ma.
Ophie, if you oh-maw me once more, I'll bang you with my umbrella.
Oh, but there's one maw comin' right up to us.
One what?
A soldier maw.
Oh, Sergeant Gorse.
Stand right behind me, Ophie.
Wheelwright says you got trouble, Clay.
Yeah, all kinds, Sergeant.
Oh, uh, meet up with Mrs. Kleinhexel,
her daughter, Miss Ophie, Sergeant Gorse.
Ma'am?
Miss Ophie?
Are you in charge here, young man?
Well, no ma'am, not exactly.
Then I demand to be taken to whoever is.
I want to telegraph Homer.
I want to see with my own eyes
the quarters for my daughter and me.
Homer, ma'am?
That's Mr. Kleinhexel. He's in Virginia City.
Oh.
Are you listening to me, young man?
Why, yes ma'am. I...
I just...
Clay. Clay, where you goin'?
Well, I'm pretty sure that Wheelwright needs a hand.
I insure thank you for takin' over this way, Sergeant.
Hey, now, Clay, you...
We've had no food since breakfast, young man.
That'll have to be taken care of.
Now, those carpet bags over there are ours,
and they were brand new when we left Omaha.
So, mind you, tend them easy.
Who did you say was in charge here?
Well, I didn't say, ma'am,
but offhand, I'd say you was.
Ophi, simmer down.
And I just wondered if, uh, if you were in my position,
what would you do, Captain?
Hmm? What?
What would you do?
I'm afraid I haven't been listenin', Mr. Sabitz.
Sorry.
What would I do about what?
Would you go alone if you didn't have a young lady to escort?
To the officer's ball tonight.
Good Lord, I'd forgotten about that.
It's the first one since I've been here.
If you're smart, you'll get up a poker game.
You could play right here in my quarters if you want.
I was rather looking forward to the ball.
I'd sooner ride into an ambush.
You know, it's hard to picture in your mind
a ball right here in old Bedlam.
It doesn't seem part of the West somehow.
It shouldn't be part of it.
You want a cigar, Sabitz?
No, thank you, sir.
Captain, you don't talk like you're planning to attend this evening.
I'm not.
You sure?
Mr. Sabitz, the last ball I attended was on an order.
Besides, I have some work I want to do tonight,
if I can get the Major's permission.
Well, I don't know, and it's your business all right, sir,
but she thinks you're going to the ball.
She?
Miss Willa.
I was over at the Suttler store this morning,
and Pliny, Mr. Burgess, gave me his leave to ask Miss Willa to the ball.
Well?
But she means to go with you, Captain.
I don't know why. I didn't ask her.
She seems right sure you will, though, before the day's out.
Oh?
She seems content just to wait for you.
Miss Willa's a pretty thing.
She makes a mistake, though, waiting for anyone.
Captain, I wouldn't have asked her,
but there aren't many single ladies to choose from.
I've got no claim on Miss Willa, Mr. Sabitz, if that's what you mean.
No, it's more her claim I was thinking about.
She's set on you, Captain Quince.
That's a pure waste.
Who is it?
Captain Quince, Lieutenant Sabitz.
Major Daggett.
Sir.
As you were, gentlemen.
This isn't exactly official business.
Yes, sir.
I just looked in the ballroom on the way up.
Looks like things are taking shape for tonight.
Yes, sir, they are.
Mrs. Daggett and the other wives are doing a fine job with the decorations.
Well, they enjoy that sort of thing.
It's time we had some festivity around here.
Yes, sir.
That what you came to tell us, Major?
I expect to see you both there, Captain Quince.
There's something I want to talk to you about, Major...
Both of you there.
I don't know whether you've heard yet or not,
but we have some guests on the post.
Mrs. Kleinhexel from Omaha and her daughter.
Her stage broke down. They'll be with us overnight.
The daughter, sir.
What about her, Mr. Sabitz?
Well, sir, in the interest of showing Fort Laramie's hospitality,
what I mean is, if she's not otherwise engaged,
I'd be proud to see her to the ball tonight.
I think that's a good idea, Sabitz.
I would like to discuss something, Major.
Yeah, so would I, Captain Quince.
Then if you'll excuse me, Major, Captain.
Mr. Sabitz, you'll find the young lady in a mother quarter
next to the Suttler store.
Yes, sir.
Well, Lee, if we can forget that pink tee a while, Major...
I told you, Lee, I expect you at that ball tonight.
This is no mere whim of mine,
and if I have to order you to be there, I will.
We're not going to see eye to eye on that ever.
You understand all about troop morale in the field.
I never knew an officer to show greater concern for his men.
But I think you owe something to your fellow officers, Captain.
I'm not sure I'm the only one who's ever been in a situation
where I think you owe something to your fellow officers, Captain.
What do you mean?
There's such a thing as post morale, too.
The junior officers admire you and respect you.
It'll mean something to them to see you share in their off-duty entertainment.
Relaxation. You're a hard man to know, Lee.
Especially in a ball.
I wouldn't insist if I didn't think it was important.
I've been trying to tell you what I think's important ever since you came in.
All right.
Yellow Horse. He's still in the stockade.
Yes, I know that.
But I can't send him to Leavenworth till I receive orders from Washington.
So far, they haven't come through.
Can't you telegraph Washington?
Uh-huh. In an emergency.
His renegade band of Sioux is still marauding.
Tell me, does this have any connection with the fact
that you left the post alone before Reveille this morning?
I rode out to the reservation.
I had a long talk with Eagle Wing.
I hope he understood it was unofficial, Captain.
Eagle Wing and I talked only as men interested in peace.
Well, at least he isn't a hostile.
And no great friend of Yellow Horse, as I remember.
He says a few of Yellow Horse's old band have come onto the reservation in the last few weeks.
That could mean trouble, Major.
A few hostiles on a reservation of 4,000?
I don't think so, Captain.
I'm not talking about a Sioux uprising.
I'm talking about maybe six hostiles thinking to set Yellow Horse free.
Eagle Wing said this?
I said it could happen.
Suppose it could.
I don't think it's likely.
I do.
This band's never had a leader like Yellow Horse.
Never killed for gain or because the whites invaded his hunting grounds.
He killed to kill.
Because he loved to kill.
They're inspirational leaders.
They'll come after him.
All right, Lee.
What is it you want?
Move Yellow Horse.
Move him?
Yeah, over to Fort Carney.
Small details starting at dusk.
I don't like it, Lee.
He'd be that much closer to Leavenworth.
No, no, I can't risk it.
I'm on orders to secure Yellow Horse at Fort Laramie.
I'd need more reason than you give me to go against him.
Then I've said my piece, Major.
Lee.
You, uh...
You feel pretty keenly about this.
Why?
Maybe it's not important.
I asked you a question.
All right.
Call it a symbol.
We could have killed him when we took him.
But we held something out to the Indians.
A fair trial.
White man's justice.
Yellow Horse was tried fairly.
And sentenced fairly.
The Indians know that.
Yellow Horse should pay for his killing.
Legally.
If an escape is arranged, even if he's killed in the attempt,
he's a martyr to every red man because a white man killed him.
I don't disagree with any of that, Lee.
But your answer is still the same.
My orders are clear. I have to respect them.
I wish I could count on your understanding.
I wish I could give it to you, Major.
All right, Captain.
We both had our say. Now let's forget it.
I'd like you to join my party this evening.
That an invitation, sir?
That is an order, Captain.
Yes, sir.
Well, I wouldn't have believed it.
It's a regular store.
I declare, Mr. Burgess,
it's the equal of anything we have in Omaha.
Oh, yes, it is. Chicago, New York, Boston.
Pliny Burgess bows to no one when it comes to merchandise.
Now, this bowl of cloth.
Ophi, just look at the quality.
Those threads, pure gold, Madam. Pure gold.
Why, they're no such thing.
In color, I mean. Yes, pure gold.
Oh, well, yes. I see they are.
Oh, no!
Ophi, will you stop clutching me so?
It's another one.
Oh, my.
Well, he's just another soldier, Ophi.
You'd best get used to the side of them.
They're all over out here.
Afternoon to you, Captain Quince.
Miss Willa Round Pliny.
To the back, with the account books as usual, Captain.
Thank you.
My sakes, he's a big one.
Yeah, oh, yes, he is.
Oh, no!
Now, Ophi, you stop making eyes this minute.
You've been spoke for by that other one, and he's a lieutenant.
Lovely girl. Shy, but she's a lovely girl.
Miss Willa.
Yes.
Hello, Lee. Hello.
Well, come on in.
If you're busy, why, we can forget about it.
No, you'll not get off that easy.
I'm not busy, and I've been expecting you.
You...
You shouldn't wait for me, Willa.
You know that.
Sit down, Lee.
Thanks.
I don't wait for you.
As you say, I know better than that.
I wait for Major Daggett.
How's that?
Sooner or later, he always orders you to attend the ball.
And when he does, sooner or later, you decide you'd rather escort me
than dance with rank and officers' wives the entire evening.
Is that the way it is?
I'm afraid so.
But that's not a complaint.
I'll be ready at eight.
All right.
Don't look so trapped, Lee. You're not, you know.
I...
I wasn't thinking about me.
Don't worry about me. I understand.
It's a lovely day.
It'll be a lovely evening, Lee.
Yeah.
It looks like Mr. Cybertz is going to have a lovely evening, too.
Oh, poor Ophi.
Poor Cybertz.
You could have spared him that if you'd accepted him
instead of waiting around for...
For Major Daggett.
Yeah. Yeah, for Major Daggett.
Oh, I got out of here!
Good heavens, what...
Get out of here! Get out of here!
Get out of here!
Get out of here! Get out of here!
Savages! It's not safe! Savages!
Madam, madam, please.
Get him out! No!
You're perfectly safe, madam.
Me no do nothing. Walk in store. Do nothing.
We'll be killed, will all be killed!
What's wrong out here?
I got an awful fright.
Get him out of here!
Come along, Ophi. It's all right.
Tell her it's all right, Captain. It's the engine.
She's not used to the sight of him.
Captain, white woman.
What spirit?
No white bird. She's... she's just frightened.
White bird frightened, too.
Him do nothing.
He walked in here.
Big as life. That's what he did.
Right in the store, mind you.
Like he was a... a...
Human being?
Yes! Like he was a...
human being.
Is that all he did?
Well...
Yes.
But if I hadn't cried the alarm,
we'd have all been massacred.
That's what they do, you know.
White bird go.
Come later to trade.
Well, now, you bring silver and more blankets, white bird?
Well, trade for food.
Come back later when bad spirit and white woman go.
Well, I never.
You never.
You people dealing with him,
trading,
like he was a...
He's a reservation, Indian man. He's all right.
Oh, yes. I would like to look at what he has to offer, Captain.
Well, go on into the store room.
Make your trades.
Yes, sir.
Go on. It's all right, white bird.
Of course. Come on, white bird. Come on.
And see you trade him fair, Pliny.
Oh, I'm the soul of honor, Captain.
There.
You feel better, ma'am?
Well,
you've done nothing to make me feel better.
I see your might is solicitous about your savage in there.
Not so much as a kind word for a frightened white woman.
Sorry, ma'am.
We know white bird. He's our friend.
We've lived with him.
But we've no mind to be unkind to strangers.
You mean to say that Indians have the run of this fort, young man?
Some Indians, the ones we know and trust,
ones who trust us.
You'll find that in the West.
But what about all the killing?
The massacres. That's all you hear in Omaha.
Near all you read.
How many whites the red savages have murdered.
Now I say that's true or it isn't?
Some of it is, ma'am.
Indians are like us.
Indians are like us. There's good and bad.
We've got a bad one on the post.
Yellow Horse. But he's in the stockade.
That's as it should be.
You think that, don't you?
I think that.
Well, it's a pity you can't tell by looking.
Oh, you can sometimes if you know what to look for.
But that comes with knowing, folks.
White men or red men?
Face value.
It's a risky business, young man.
Many is the time I've been dead wrong in judging a body on first cytamine.
Of course, I'm talking about white folks.
You planning to live in the West, ma'am?
Virginia City.
Homer's out there now.
Hopefully, we'll go into him.
For sakes, I guess I got a lot of learning ahead of me.
A lot of learning.
Sergeant. Over here, Sergeant.
Oh, yes, sir.
Captain.
Finished eating gorse?
Yes, sir. Ate plenty, too.
Good thing I got no bars on my shoulders.
I'd be right to stuff the waltz tonight.
That so?
Fine spring evening for a flock of fancy waltzes, though.
All right, Sergeant, you're making your point.
Yes, sir.
You, uh, got any plans for tonight after tattoo?
Oh, I drew some duty, Captain.
Duty?
Kind of special duty, too.
Orders come down from Major Daggett to double the guard at the stockade.
I figured you'd know that.
No.
No, I didn't.
Ain't they sending Yellow Horse on to Leavenworth before long?
That's up to Washington.
Yeah.
Sure got a lot of time back there, ain't they, Captain?
Seems like it. Sometimes.
Sometimes?
Did you have something you wanted me to do tonight?
No. No, nothing.
Well, before I told you about the duty, you asked about my plans, Captain.
You answered my questions.
Yes, sir.
That's all, Sergeant.
If anything comes up at the stockade, I'll see you hear about it, sir.
You'll report to Major Daggett.
Yes, sir.
Good night, Gorse.
Captain.
Yeah?
It's a right smart sash you're wearing.
Good night, Gorse.
Yes, sir.
She's been trying to get your attention for the last half hour, Lee.
Who has?
Mrs. Klein, Hexo.
And you haven't even asked her to dance yet either.
I haven't.
I'm sorry.
You haven't even asked her to dance yet either.
I know, I know, but...
Shh.
Here she comes.
Excuse me, you two.
But I've got to have word to this young man.
I'm sending the lieutenant to dance with you, dearie.
Captain Quince was just on his way over to you, Mrs. Klein, Hexo.
I'll find Lieutenant Seibert.
Well?
Shall we, Captain?
Proud to, ma'am.
I could waltz with a glass of water on my head and never spill a drop.
Hey, ma'am, you stand a chance of drowning.
Oh, there's good humor in you, young man.
I like that.
Thank you.
Oh.
I'm sorry.
I wanted to tell you, I went out on the veranda
for a breath of air a while back.
And when I first saw them, I came near to screaming,
like I did this afternoon with the other Indian.
You're developing a real eye for Indians, ma'am.
Yes, I am.
I've been trying to recollect, though.
I don't believe he was wearing them in the store today.
White bird?
Wearing what?
The feathers.
No, ma'am, he wasn't wearing feathers.
I didn't think so.
Now, these Indians was.
Well, maybe it suits their fancy.
You're sure they were wearing feathers?
I just told you.
There was five or six, I guess.
Excuse me, ma'am, I have to speak to the major.
Now, what's wrong with feathers?
Major Daggett, sir.
Where are those shots coming from, Captain?
That's a stockade, Major.
Cyborgs!
Lawson!
Let's go!
Six of them.
All dead, Sergeant.
Dead engines, Captain.
Good thing you doubled the guard, Major.
What about Yellow Horse?
Oh, he was whooping for a while.
But I checked him.
He's got his health, all of it.
Captain.
Yes, sir?
Fall into detail.
I want Yellow Horse on his way to Leavenworth no later than noon tomorrow.
Any questions?
Just one, sir.
What about Washington?
I'll telegraph Washington tonight.
Oh, Captain.
Yes, Major.
Thank you.
Fort Laramie is produced and directed by Norman MacDonald and stars Raymond Burr as Lee Quince,
Captain of Cavalry, with Vic Perlin as Sergeant Gorse.
The script was specially written for Fort Laramie by Kathleen Height, with sound patterns
by Bill James and Ray Kemper, musical supervision by Amarigo Marino.
Featured in the cast were Jeanette Nolan, Sam Edwards, Eleanor Tannen, Harry Bartel,
Jack Moyles, Shirley Mitchell, Howard McNear, Frank Cady, and Jack Crouchon.
Company, attention.
Dismissed.
Next week, another transcribed story of the Northwest frontier and the troopers who fought
under Lee Quince, Captain of Cavalry.
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